DTI 7 conducts FabFest 2025, bridging gaps through innovation and community
CEBU CITY, August 27-28, 2025 – The FabFest 2025 brought together innovators, makers, students, and partners from across the country at the Cebu Institute of Technology – University (CIT-U) for two days of collaboration and knowledge-sharing, underscoring the role of digital fabrication and community-driven innovation in advancing national development.
Organized by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Region VII, Field Ready, and CIT-U, the festival carried the theme “High Five: Bridging Gaps Through Innovation and Collaboration” and highlighted the growing maker movement in the Philippines and its alignment with the country’s innovation agenda.
The event featured insights from leaders in government and industry, including the Provincial Government of Cebu, the Department of Education Development (DEPDev-7) on Filipinnovation, and Kate Armstrong of the Fab City Foundation on the Fab City movement. A fireside chat with government and international partners tackled how to bridge innovation gaps, while Sherry Lassiter, President and CEO of the Fab Foundation, delivered a special message from the global Fab Lab community.
Participants joined breakout sessions that blended theory and practice on topics such as Blender design, AI for marketing, entrepreneurship, Arduino programming, drones, and 3D printing. Experts from academia, industry, and the maker movement led these workshops, while the Fab Talks series inspired attendees through global and local leaders such as Rico Kanthatham (Skylab Workshop), Andrew Lamb (Internet of Production Alliance), Masato Takemura (FabLab Hamamatsu), Koshi Katoh (Toyota), Fortunato de la Peña Jr. (UP CFA FabLab), Stephanie Tudtud (Cebu Making Space), Gabe Mercado (VIVITA), and Dr. Chris Jordan (CIT-U AI FabLab). Complementary sessions on intellectual property, market strategies, design thinking, accounting for makers, and product design further strengthened the capacity of local innovators.
The highlight of FabFest was Fabsiklaban 2025, a national pitching competition where participants presented prototypes addressing the ten critical innovation priority areas identified in the National Innovation Agenda and Strategy Document (NIASD). By leveraging FabLabs’ advanced equipment and expertise, a total of 17 entries from national participants were able to transform bold ideas into tangible, functional prototypes, demonstrating how accessible innovation infrastructure empowers communities across the country.
In the Non-Student Category, the CIT-U AI FabLab emerged as champion with AGIMAT under Security and Defense. FabLab Bohol earned second place with Knock D’ Blocks for Learning and Education, while FabLab TESDA secured third place with Flip, Sit, Lounge, Rack under the Blue Economy and Water.
In the Student Category, CTU Danao clinched first place with their Miniaturized Packaging Factory Model for Learning and Education. FabLab Bohol won second place with Budburán under Manufacturing and Trade, and MSU-IIT FabLab Mindanao placed third with iBench for Health and Well-being.
According to DTI-7 Acting Regional Director Esperanza Melgar, the competition demonstrated the ability of Filipino makers to design practical, scalable solutions to pressing national challenges through creativity, technology, and collaboration.
FabFest 2025 built on the momentum of FabXPH 2024 in Bohol, which convened Philippine FabLabs for knowledge exchange and solidarity in strengthening the local maker ecosystem. This year’s celebration was made even more significant by the launch of the CIT-U AI FabLab, positioning Cebu as a hub for digital fabrication and AI-driven innovation. The new facility is expected to expand opportunities for research, prototyping, and entrepreneurship in Central Visayas, further strengthening the region’s role in the national innovation ecosystem.
Looking ahead to 2026, the community is preparing for a landmark celebration: the 10th anniversary of FabLab UP Cebu, the first FabLab in Cebu Province. This milestone event will further spotlight the transformative role of makerspaces in driving Filipino innovation.
“By uniting government, industry, academia, and grassroots innovators, FabFest 2025 reaffirmed the power of makerspaces and digital fabrication as engines of innovation, collaboration, and inclusive growth,” said Dir. Melgar. “The festival demonstrated how Filipino creativity and ingenuity can contribute to addressing national priorities and shaping a future built on innovation.” ♦
Date of Release: 08 September 2025
